Paper fruit-box.



E. W. CORNELL. PAPER FRUIT BOX.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV 3,1908.

9%2A59 a Patented May 25, 1909.

llliMEl-l W. CORNELL, OF TRAVERSE CITY IVHCHIGAN PAPER FRUIT-BOX.

:Specifioation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Application filed November 3, 1908. Serial No. sooner.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that l, ELMER W. CORNELL, a citizen ol' the linited States, residing at Traverse "City, in the county ol' Grand Traverse and State of Michigan, have in rented a new and use'l'ul Paper Fruit-Box. ol' nhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to collapsible berry boxes and has for its object to provide a comparatively simple and thoroughly eflicienlv device of this character capable ol' being readily set up for use and quickly collapsed and compactly folded lor transportation or shipment.

. lurther object is to provide a ventilated berry box having: its bottom portion spaced lIUlil the side walls of the box to permit the passage of air through the contents of said box.

u A further object is to form the bottom section with laterally extending cars or tabs arranged to enter slots in the adjacent side Walls of the box, thereby to assist in supporting the bottom section and preventing sagging of the latter incident to the weight of the contents of said box.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide a berry box which may be manufactured with the least possible waste of stock and in which the parts, when combined or up, shall mutually brace each other, thereby to prevent collapsing or yielding under ordinary use.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following descriy'il'ion, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accon'i mnying drawings forinin a part 01' this s )ccificction ji view of the b ank from which the box is constructed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank showing the latter partially folded. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box com-- plete, one of the side'wallsbeing moved to open position to more clearly show the con- Fig. 4 1s a detail verstruction of the box. tical sectional view showing the manner of spacing the bottom section to permit vcntilation and also showing; the manner of supporting said bottom section. Fig. 5 is a'deta-il s'iile elovation showing the manner of locking the end Walls. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of box.

Siinila numerals of reference indicate cor ure 1 is a p an responding parts in all of the'figures of the drawings.

The improved berry box forming the sub. jccl; matter of the present invention is preferably constructed of a single piece of material such as pasleboard, veneer, or other suitable material ada )teo-l'or the purpose, and b preference will have that surface which wi l lorni the interior o'l'lhe box treated with water proof material such as parafiin and the like.

The blank is substantially Z shape in Contour and comprises a bottom section 5 having integral and sections 6 and 7 and side sections 8 and 9 extending laterally therefrom and provided with terminal flaps 10 and 11.

The material forming the bottom sectionfi is of less width than the material forming the end and side sections of the box so. this; when the blank is lolned into shape the. lorrgitiuliniil edges of the bottom section will be spaced laterally from the adjacent side seclions and 9 to produce ventilating openings 2, thereby to permit the passage of sir .through the contents of the box and thus thoroughly ventilate the latter.

The flaps l0 and 11 are each provided will looking tabs 13 arranged to enter substan tially l. shaped slot-s14 formed in the adjacent Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Extending laterally from the opposite longitudinal edges of the bottom section 5 are substantially triangular shaped ears 15 which enter suitable pockets formed in the adjacent side walls 8 and 9, thereby toassist in supportinfi the bottom section and pre venting the atter from sagging under the weight of the contents of the box.

The ear-receiving pockets are preferably and the material between the slits 16 bent laterally so as topermit the assage oi the ears'15, as best shown in ig'. l, of the drawin s.

1n folding the blank shown in Fig. 1 .ofthe drawings the bot-torn section 5 is first folded on the line 17 and the end Walls 6 and 7 folded upwardly on the lines 18 so as to space the end 6 and 7 The side sections 8 and 9 then folded laterally on the lines 1-9 i and the llaps l0 and i1 Folded over the ad.- l jacent end wells-6 end 7 by bending said end walls 6 and 7, thereby to lock the end. walls in assembled position, as best shown in formed by producing longitudinal slits 15 in the material forming the side walls 8 and 9,

the bottom section 5 from the lower edges of tabs 13 are inserted in the L shaped slots 14 ol' the berries within the box pressing later- :pand the Walls at the lower end thereof and flaps on the lines after which the locking and the ears 15 introduced within the pockets formed by the slits 16 in the side walls and in which position said ears will be effectually housed and protected.

Attention is here called to the fact that the locking tabs 13 are disposed near the bottom of thebox so that the weight of the berries or other contents of the box will exthereby cause said locking tabs to firmly. engage the walls of the slots 14 thereby to prevent colla sing of the box. It will also be noted that the hooked end of each tab 13 extends within the box for engagement with the a dj'a ent wall of the box at the slot 14.

That portion of the paper between the fold lines 17 and 18 not onlyserves to reinforce and strengthen the bottom of the box but also forms a flange 22 for spacing the bottom section above the lower edge of the box so as to permit the air to circulate beneath the bottom section and u through the openings 12 when said box is p aced on the usual per forated supporting tray.

The berry box shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings is a quzirt size box, while the box shown inFigtfi is adapted to contain a pint, the latter box being of less depth than the quart size box and formed of a narrow strip of stock. A further advantage in having the fastening device of the box shown in Figs. 2 and 3 arranged near the bottom thereof is that the side and end walls of the quart size box may be readily cut or severed to produce a pint box without injuring said fastening device.

It will thus be seen that there is thus produced a collapsible berry box formed of a single piece of paper stock so constructed that w ien lolded, the several parts Wlll be locked in assembled position and any weight ally against the walls of said box Wlll only tend to more firmly hold the walls in engagement with each other.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. A berry-box con'iprising a bottom'por- .tion having depending extensions, side walls formed integral with saidextcnsions, end walls integral with the side walls and provided with terminal ilaps arranged to overlap the adjacent side walls of the box and provided with locking tabs adapted to enter 5 openings formed in the side wal s, two of the edges of the bottom wall being spaced from also serving to look the bottom Wall in engagement with said side walls.

2. A blank for fruit boxes formed from a 1 single piece of material and comprising a bottom section having oppositely disposed end sections formed integral therewith, a side section extending laterally from one side only of each end section and rovided with spaced slits, end flaps carried by the side sections for engagement with the end sections, and locking ears extending laterally from the bottom section and arranged to enter sockets formed by the slits in the side sections when the blank is folded.

3. As a new article of manufacture a blank for fruit boxes consisting of a single piece of material and including a bottom section having oppositely disposed end sections formed integral therewith and of greater width than the bottom section, a side seclaterally from one side only 01' each end se( tion, end flaps formed integral with the side sections and provided with locking tabs, there being a substantially L shaped slot formed in each end section and arranged to receive the locking tabs, and shoulders formed on the end ila )s for limiting the inward movement of said end llaps.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a, blank for fruit boxes consisting of a single.

piece of n'iaterial, substantially Z form in shape and including a bottom section having.

oppositely disposed end sections formed in-" tegral therewith and ol' greater width than the bottom S(('tll)li, side sections extending laterally l'rom the bottom section, end ilaps i'ormed integral with the side section and provided with locking tabs, there being silhstantially L shaped slots formed in the end section and arranged to receive the locking tabs, and shoulders formed on the end [laps for limiting the inward movement of said end flaps.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, 1. have hereto allixcd my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

lCliMlllt W. (OllNlClJla Witnesses:

1*. W. WILSON, lton'r. l). W ALTER. 

